Play Therapy

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At Turtle Express, we understand how challenging it can be to see your child struggle - whether it's with emotions, social interactions, communications, or learning. That's why we're here to help

Using proven methods like Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), certified by National Association for Play Therapy India, we create a safe and supportive space where children can learn, grow, and thrive

Play Therapy

Why is Play Therapy the right choice for your child?

Play is How Children Communicate

Kids can’t always explain their feelings or experiences in words. Through Play Therapy, we give your child the tools to express themselves in a way that feels natural and comfortable. Play allows them to explore their emotions, understand their world, and work through challenges—all without the stress of traditional talk therapy.

Power of Play

Play is not just fun—it’s essential for your child’s growth and development. Play Therapy can help with:

  • Managing emotions like fear, anger, or sadness.
  • Building social skills and forming better relationships.
  • Developing problem-solving, thinking, and creativity.
  • Boosting confidence and self-esteem.

A Safe, Child-Centered Approach

At Turtle Express, we meet your child where they are. Our therapists create a warm, judgment-free environment where your child feels safe to explore and grow at their own pace.

For more information, visit the website: https://www.playtherapyindia.org/

Oral Placement Therapy

At Turtle Express, we are committed to providing the best, evidence-based therapies to support children with special needs. Alongside Child-Centered Play Therapy, we also use TalkTools Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), a cutting-edge approach designed to help children improve speech clarity, feeding skills, and overall quality of life.

Our therapists are certified in TalkTools Level 1 training, enabling us to deliver effective, results-driven therapy tailored to your child’s needs.

What is Oral Placement Therapy (OPT)?

OPT is a unique type of oral-motor therapy that focuses on improving the physical movements needed for speech and feeding. It combines:

  • Auditory and Visual Feedback: Helps children see and hear how movements are made
  • Tactile and Proprioceptive Input: Engages the sense of touch and body awareness to develop motor skills.

Using a step-by-step, structured approach, OPT works on building strength and coordination in areas like the jaw, lips, tongue, and velum (the soft part of the roof of the mouth).

How Oral Placement Therapy Helps

Speech Clarity

Many children struggle with speech because their muscles aren’t strong or coordinated enough to produce clear sounds. OPT focuses on strengthening these muscles, improving pronunciation and communication

Feeding Skills

For children with feeding difficulties, OPT helps develop the movements required forchewing, swallowing, and drinking, making mealtimes more enjoyable and less stressful.

Independence

By improving essential skills like eating and speaking, children gain confidence and independence in daily activities.

Improved Quality of Life

When children can communicate more clearly and enjoy meals without difficulty, their overall happiness and sense of well-being improve significantly.

  • Visible Improvements: Whether it’s clearer speech or smoother feeding, the progress is measurable and real.
  • Practicle Techniques: We empower families with tools and strategies to continue therapy at home, ensuring consistent progress.
  • A Happier Child: As your child gains skills and confidence, they’ll experience greater joy in communicating and participating in everyday activities.

What Parents Can Expect

Through Oral Placement Therapy at Turtle Express, you can look forward to:

For more information, visit the website: https://talktools.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopXmNuawThrQEdoxn5gPOU0Tlo66eW-Hkotk40tVPQtiNlXRxi3

More than Words Program

At Turtle Express, we are dedicated to empowering children and their families to overcome challenges and build meaningful connections. That’s why we offer the More Than Words® Program, a parent training program developed by the renowned Hanen Centre in Canada. This evidence-based program is designed to help children, especially those with autism or social communication challenges, improve their communication skills through everyday interactions with their parents.

What is the More Than Words® Program?

The More Than Words® Program teaches parents how to become their child’s most important communication partner. Instead of relying solely on formal therapy sessions, this program equips parents with tools to create meaningful learning moments during daily routines like mealtime, playtime, and bedtime.

  • Understanding your child’s communication: Parents learn how to recognize their child’s communication style and what motivates them to interact.
  • Child-Centered Strategies : The program helps parents use their child’s natural interests and preferences to encourage social communication.
  • Making Learning Fun and Natuaral: Strategies are integrated into everyday activities, making learning ongoing, meaningful, and enjoyable for both parent and child

How the Program Works

What makes this program special?

Evidence Based Approach

The More Than Words® Program is developed by experts in speech-language pathology and backed by research that shows its effectiveness in improving communication forautistic children.

Focus on everyday moments

The strategies are designed to fit into daily life, turning regular routines into opportunities for learning and connection.

Parents Empowerment

Parents play an active role, gaining skills and confidence to support their child’s growth.

Personalized Support

A Hanen-certified speech-language pathologist works closely with families, providing tailored guidance based on each child’s strengths and communication goals

Community and Connection

Parents join a group of other families facing similar challenges, creating a supportive community where they can share experiences and insights.

  • Discover what motivates your child to communicate.

  • Learn how to set realistic communication goals based on your child’s strengths.

  • Understand how to extend interactions and make them more meaningful.

  • Gain strategies for speaking in a way your child can understand.

What will Parents Learn

Through Oral Placement Therapy at Turtle Express, you can look forward to:

Program Structure at Turtle Express

Pre-Program Consultation

A one-on-one session where the therapist meets with you and your child to understand their communication needs and strengths

Orientation Session

An introduction to the program, what to expect, and how it will help your family.

Parent-Only Group Sessions

Eight interactive group sessions where you’ll learn strategies, watch video examples, and discuss how to apply what you learn at home.

Individual Sessions with Your Child

Three personalized sessions where the therapist observes and guides you as you interact with your child, providing specific feedback and support.

Program Resources

Parents receive the More Than Words® Guidebook and Home Plans to help integrate the strategies into daily life and track progress.

For more information, visit the website: https://www.hanen.org/programs/more-than-words

 

PROMPT Institute

At Turtle Express, we’re proud to use the PROMPT technique as part of our evidence-based interventions. PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets, and it’s a hands-on, proven method for helping children improve their speech and communication.

Here’s how PROMPT works and how we use it:

A Holistic Approach

PROMPT doesn’t just focus on speech sounds. It looks at your child’s overall communication skills, including how they use speech, emotions, and language in real-life situations. We design activities that connect these areas to create lasting improvement.

Guiding Speech Through Touch

PROMPT involves gentle, specific touch cues on your child’s face to guide their muscles and movements for clearer speech. Think of it as giving your child physical “reminders” to help them form words

Personalized for Every Child

Every child is unique, so we use the PROMPT system to carefully assess their strengths and needs. Then, we create a customized plan to address their goals step by step.

Why PROMPT Works

This method focuses on building motor skills for speech, which is essential for kids who struggle with articulation or motor planning. It’s backed by research and proven to help kids communicate more effectively.

Parents Are Part of the Process

We’ll also work closely with you, providing strategies you can use at home to support your child’s progress. Together, we can help your child build confidence in their communication

At Turtle Express, we’re committed to giving your child the tools they need to express themselves and thrive, and PROMPT is one of the many ways we do that.

For more information, visit the website: https://promptinstitute.com/page/Certification

Social Thinking

At Turtle Express, we’re proud to use the PROMPT technique as part of our evidence-based interventions. PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets, and it’s a hands-on, proven method for helping children improve their speech and communication.

Breaking Down Social Challenges

The Social Thinking Methodology simplifies complex social concepts into small, understandable steps. Instead of focusing on teaching “social rules, ” we help children learn why social interactions happen the way they do. For example, we guide them to understand things like:

  • How to read others’ emotions.
  • How their actions influence others’ feelings and reactions.
  • How to adapt their behavior based on the situation.

Unlike traditional programs that focus on memorizing social “dos and don’ts,”  this method helps children understand the purpose behind social behaviors. This builds flexible thinking and problem-solving skills that they can apply in real-life situations, whether it’s making friends, working in a group, or handling a tough moment.

Building Social Competence, Not Just Skills

Using Fun and Relatable Tools

Through activities, stories, and visuals, we teach concepts like:

  • Perspective-taking: Helping children think about what others might be feeling or thinking.

  • Self-regulation: Developing strategies to manage emotions in social settings.

  • Social connection: Practicing conversations and teamwork.

The skills your child learns with us extend far beyond the therapy room. They’ll be better prepared for social interactions at home, school, and in the community. For example, learning to recognize when a friend is upset and responding kindly can strengthen their relationships.

Real-World Applications

Why It Works for All Learners

The Social Thinking Methodology works for children with diverse needs, whether they’re neurodivergent (e.g., ADHD, autism, social anxiety) or neurotypical but struggling socially. It’s flexible and personalized, making it easy to adapt to your child’s unique strengths and challenges.

We also involve you, the parents, in the process! We provide simple, practical strategies you can use at home to reinforce what your child is learning with us.

A Team Effort

Why This Matters

When children understand the “why” behind social interactions, they gain confidence, improve their relationships, and experience greater success in all areas of life. At Turtle Express, we’re here to guide them on this journey, one step at a time.

For more information, visit the website: https://www.socialthinking.com/conferences/course-descriptions/informal-dynamic-assessment-core-treatment

 

Sensory Integration Process

At Turtle Express, we use evidence-based techniques like the Sensory Integration Process from the STAR Institute to help children better navigate their daily lives. Here's what it means, explained simply:

Imagine your child’s brain as a busy traffic system. Sensory information—like sights, sounds, touches, and movements—are cars driving on that system. For most people, this system flows smoothly, helping them feel safe, focused, and ready to interact with the world. But for some kids, the traffic gets jammed, causing confusion, frustration, or overwhelm.

Why This Matters

Everything your child does—playing, learning, making friends—relies on their brain organizing and responding to sensory input effectively. If they struggle with this, they might:

  • Feel bothered by loud noises or itchy clothes.
  • Seek extra movement by jumping or spinning nonstop.
  • Have trouble sitting still or focusing.

Through sensory integration therapy, we help children “untangle the traffic” in their sensory systems. We do this by creating fun, play-based activities tailored to your child’s needs. For example, a child who seeks a lot of movement might climb or swing to help their brain organize sensory input better.

This process can help your child:

  • Feel calmer and more focused.
  • Gain better control over their body and emotions.
  • Build confidence to explore and succeed in everyday activities.

Sensory integration isn’t just about fixing problems—it’s about helping kids feel comfortable in their own skin and develop the skills they need to thrive.

For more information, visit the website: https://sensoryhealth.org/basic/understanding-sensory-integration-process